Spyware in Tiger?? Please help

nietzsche2131 · #1 June 19th, 2005, 08:29 PM

Ok,

Somehow my network admin, has kicked me off for having spyware on my mac. But I've read various reports that if there is any type of spyware problem it's rare. I could be wrong. Also, if there is a problem with spyware where would I go to get a decent or good scanner? Also, it might be a virus, but I've read the fourms here and there's no possiblity that there might be a virus created for os x. Thanks for your time.

TommyWillB · #2 June 19th, 2005, 09:12 PM

How would a network admin decect such a thing?

Probably he's just confused because your Mac is connecting to some "non-standard" (i.e. Mac-specific) ports that he's complely unfamiliar with.

To see what ports you're allowing in check out your Firewall in Sharing, or do a port scan of yourself using the Utilities > Network Utility.

ElDiabloConCaca · #3 June 19th, 2005, 09:26 PM

There is no Mac OS X spyware currently -- that's not to say that there ever will be, but for now, we're safe and your admin is mistaken (although it may not be wise to inform him/her in that way

).

Have you been running any network-intensive programs? BitTorrent? LimeWire? Acquisition? Perhaps he was detecting some Adobe application "phoning home?"

texanpenguin · #4 June 19th, 2005, 11:57 PM

It'd help to request from the network admin some more information than "I detected spyware". Port numbers and times/dates are useful. See if you can narrow it down that way.

Little Snitch is a small inexpensive system preference pane which you can run which allows you to see which programs are using your network connection and allow or disallow them.